


Stay

by Luv_Bowie_Luver



Series: Baby Universal [3]
Category: David Bowie (Musician), Science Fiction - Fandom, Senjou no Merry Christmas | Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence | Furyo (1983)
Genre: Adult Humor, Aliens, Bittersweet Ending, Blood, Child Abduction, Disturbing scenes, Eating Raw Meat, Elderly Death Scene, Emotional Trauma, F/M, Falling In Love, False Accusations, Graphic Violence, Heartbreak, Hospital Scenes, Hurt/Comfort, Innocence, Kidnapping, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnant Woman, Reference To Unborn Baby, Rescue, Seduction, Smut, coarse language, self discovery, shower scenes, trigger phrases, virgin, war references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-20 07:45:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 12,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3642303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luv_Bowie_Luver/pseuds/Luv_Bowie_Luver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is free to go home with his new friend, Jen. But can she help him adjust to civilian life? When Jack goes missing after a close call with a search and rescue job and a child is abducted the same day, Jen fears the worst...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Going Home

**Author's Note:**

> Jack is a mixed character.
> 
> He is an alien.
> 
> His name is Jack Celliers and he looks like and talks like Major Jack Celliers from the film 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' (David Bowie) but he is not the one from the film, I made him up but based his appearance on the one in the film :)
> 
> Please read 'Baby Universal' first and then 'When the Child Goes Bad' next, before you read this story or it won't make sense! :)

Winter was approaching, the bitter cold bite of the northern winds were enough to make even the hardiest men shiver. Today was going to be a good day, because Jen was going to see Jack at the hospital. It was something she did everyday since she had found out he was there, but this time it was different. This time, they had told her that she could take him home with her. She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as she drove down the highway, she was so excited and she just couldn't wait to tell him!

 

Of course, there were risks involved.  
  
  
Jack had never known life outside of war and battlefields, on the brief occasion he got to take a break for R&R he would spend it in a bar with his unit and then they'd be back off to the front again. Jen had her work cut out for her, but she'd had to adjust a little herself; so how hard could it be to show him?  
  
  
She arrived at the building and went inside, there were a huge amount of forms and paperwork she'd brought with her. In order to take him home, Jen had to fill them all out and she'd done it as fast as she could. She didn't like all of them, but it had to be done. As the legal team looked over the papers, Jen went to see Jack.

 

Jack was standing at his window, Jen could see nothing but a brick wall but she knew he could just look right through it. He turned when he heard her coming in, she smiled at him and hugged him. Jack could still hear someone whisper if he was underwater with his ears full of petroleum jelly...  
  
  
"I've got some great news," Jen told him, "you're coming home with me today!"  
  
  
Jack looked at her curiously.  
  
  
"Is there a battle in your home?" he asked her, concerned, "are you hurt?"  
  
  
Jen felt both amused and saddened by his response, this might prove to be a bit more difficult than she'd imagined.  
  
  
"No, sweetheart," she assured him, "there's no battle, not anymore. The war is over, it's time to go home."  
  
  
"But my home is not here," Jack replied calmly.  
  
  
"I know, baby," Jen rubbed his arm, "but we'll have to make do."  
  
  
Jack looked puzzled, but said nothing more.  
  
  
Jen turned as someone came into the room, he looked military but she didn't recognize him.  
  
  
"The paperwork all seems to be in order," he told Jen, watching Jack warily, "you can go now. Just try to remember the conditioning and avoid the trigger phrases, alright?"  
  
  
Jen nodded.  
  
  
"I will," she replied, taking Jack by the hand, "come on, let's get going."  
  
  
Jack let her lead him out of the building, she smiled as he looked around in wonder.


	2. No More War

They got into her car and Jen drove them to her home in the city, Jack rested with his eyes closed until the car stopped moving.  
  
  
"Here we are," Jen announced, climbing out. Jack opened his eyes, looking up at the building. He got out of the car and stretched his legs, looking around curiously and excitedly. It was peaceful, there were no tanks or bombs and there were no soldiers anywhere to be seen. Jen led him inside, he hesitated and then followed her into the house.  
  
  
"This will be your room," Jen showed him to her spare bedroom.  
  
  
Jack looked around the room, it had a bed and a closet and a large window. He looked at Jen with an expression of disbelief.  
  
  
"It's just for me?" he asked her.  
  
  
Jen nodded, she couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of him never having had a room to himself before. Hospital rooms and the like did not count, of course.  Jack wandered around the room, touching things and running his hands over the quilt covers and pillows. He seemed amazed and fascinated by their softness, it had been so very long since he'd spent that one night at his mother's house...  
  
  
Jack had all but forgotten what it was like.  
  
  
"Come on," Jen said finally, "let me give you a little tour, so you know where everything is."


	3. What I Look Like

Jack followed her out into the hallway, she opened the bathroom door and he stepped inside.  
  
  
"This is the bathroom," she told him, "you can shower, or bathe... whatever."  
  
  
Jack gazed around and saw someone staring at him from a little window just above the sink. He moved his head slightly, and the stranger copied him.  
  
  
"Why is he doing what I do?" asked Jack.  
  
  
Jen chuckled.  
  
  
"That's a mirror, baby," she informed him, "it's _you_."  
  
  
Jack frowned puzzledly, he'd never taken much notice of mirrors before. He'd never really run into one until now, so it was quite astonishing to him.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I look... "  he paused, studying his reflection, "... like everyone else ... "  He turned to Jen and she nodded slowly.  
  
  
"Of course you do, hun," she smiled gently at him, "what did you _think_ you looked like?"  
  
  
Jack pursed his lips and Jen didn't press the issue.


	4. Adjustment

She showed him the rest of the house, concluding the tour back at his bedroom. He walked into it and sat down on the bed, bouncing on it slightly a few times.  
  
  
"Would you like me to close the door?" asked Jen.  
  
  
Jack looked up at her fearfully, memories of being locked down in the dark for 300 years flashing into his mind.  
  
  
"N-No," he replied.  Jen was lost for words, she'd never seen him nervous before.  
  
  
_Nobody had_...  
  
  
"Okay," she didn't call him out on it, "just call if you need anything."  
  
  
She left him alone and went to the kitchen to prepare some lunch, he must be quite hungry by now; as the hospital wouldn't serve him raw meat for health reasons and they certainly weren't about to feed him human body parts!  Jack stood up and walked out of his bedroom, looking around at the furniture and carpets. He found the livingroom and sat down on the sofa, gazing out of the window to watch people going about their peaceful lives. It was a little disconcerting, he simply wasn't used to it. His body was wired for a surprise attack, his senses were keened for sneaky enemy advances and his eyes began to scan for any threats outside.  
  
  
**  
  
  
Jen found him a little while later, still sitting on the sofa and staring out of the window.  
  
  
"Jack?" she ventured.  
  
  
He was slightly tense.  
  
  
"I have located a single unit," he told her, "he's got a very small gun... Shall I kill it?"  
  
  
Jen looked towards the window as a policeman passed by, she put her hand on Jack's shoulder and felt how very tense it was.  
  
  
"No," she chose her words very carefully, "Jack, that's not an enemy... Sweetheart, please... There's no war... "  
  
  
Jack finally blinked and turned to look up at her.  
  
  
"It's going to take some getting used to," she touched his cheek softly, "but we can do it together."  
  
  
Jack stood up and followed her into the dining room for lunch, Jen avoided looking at him as he ate the raw meat she had placed out for him and she wondered how she would ever get him to switch off from all of his training and mental conditioning. He seemed to be always wired for a fight, like something might suddenly attack from anywhere at any given moment. There wasn't a second that went by when she didn't notice him scanning, watching and tensing up. Jen sighed heavily, but she needed to be patient with him. If she couldn't integrate him into society safely, she shuddered to think what might happen to him...  
  
  
Jack ate in silence, being careful not to let the blood drip too much. He finished quickly and then scanned the perimeter of the house, looking through the walls for any signs of trouble or danger. Jen scolded him gently for it everytime she caught him though,  so he felt frustrated with having nothing to do.


	5. The Trigger Phrase

So, a few days later, Jen took him to the police station. The idea was to get them to hire him to locate missing persons, they had heard of him and were willing to give him a go at it.  Jen was pleased that they were so open minded, but Jack wasn't sure that this was the right thing for him to be doing. Locating enemy soldiers was one thing, but finding one person who could be anywhere on the planet was quite another. He agreed to try his best, however and Jen couldn't ask any more from him than that. His first job was a test, to see what he could do.  
  
  
They gave him a photo of two men, who had not been seen for several days and their families feared for their lives. Jack wasn't sure he could locate the two men, they could be anywhere on Earth! He memorized their faces, then he walked outside and began to scan the faces of every man in the city. His vision allowed him to look a long distance away, so when he came across a section of trees; he paused to sift through the images he found there.  
  
  
He saw a hole in the ground, scanning down lower for thermal images, he saw two bodies at the bottom of the hole. Mixing it up a little, he was able to see their faces - it was the two men. They looked unhurt, but seemed to have been down there for quite a few days.  
  
  
"I see them," Jack finally spoke out loud.  
  
  
"That's incredible!" the detective's eyes lit up, "so what are we waiting for? Let's _go get 'em!_ "  
  
  
"Yes, Sir," Jack responded automatically.  
  
  
Before Jen realized what had been said, Jack was already gone from sight. _He moved fast!_  
  
  
"Fuck!" she got into her car, but she had no idea where he'd gone!  
  
  
She punched her steering wheel in frustration.  
  
  
"Noo!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
  
Jack was already at the entrance of the hole where the men had fallen through the ground, they were shouting up to him for assistance but Jack was intent on ripping them apart. He wasn't sure why they would ask him to locate people who were missing, and then tell him to kill them; but orders were orders. Just as he was about to climb down, he heard Jen's voice from her car. She was screaming the trigger phrase to make him stop, so he sat down and waited for her to come and find him.  
  
  
When he remembered that he hadn't told anyone just exactly where the men were, he stood up and ran quickly back to Jen.


	6. Jack And The 'Small Thing'

After that, they decided to leave the whole thing alone and Jack found himself sitting in his room again - bored out of his skull.  He was grateful for everything that Jen was doing for him, but he needed to feel useful and he just wasn't getting that here.  
  
  
So that night, he wandered outside after Jen had gone to bed and headed off to find somewhere he could be of some use.  
  
  
Jen woke up the next morning to find him gone, she had figured this might happen and she decided to leave him be for a few hours. If he wasn't home by nightfall, she'd have to get some help to go and look for him before something happened. Jack wasn't dangerous on purpose, but that just made it worse for anyone who came across him...  
  
  
Jack didn't stop walking for a long time, he eventually found himself in an area so far from the city that Jen would never have thought to look for him here. He wasn't running away from her, he'd simply got distracted and kept going and going. It was very quiet now, a mountain range stood before him and Jack walked deep into it. He found a tree and sat down under it, scanning the hills and surrounds for tanks and listening for explosions or shots.  
  
  
*  
  
  
Back at home, Jen was getting worried sick. She switched on the news to see if he'd gotten himself into trouble, but there was only a story about a little girl who had gone missing from her home several miles away. Jen shook her head sadly, Jack probably could have found her quite quickly, but she had no idea where Jack was and nobody would trust him after that close call with the two men trapped in the hole yesterday. Her heart broke for the parents of the girl, who were sobbing hard and pleading the viewers to help them find their precious toddler.  
  
  
Jen switched off the television, if only she could find Jack - the little girl might not be too far away. Then a chilling thought entered her mind, _had Jack taken her?_  
  
  
**  
  
  
Jack was still watching for signs of danger, he felt useful and that he was doing a service for ... _for who?_ He blinked and looked around himself, finding no soldiers sleeping or hidden among the terrain. He sighed softly, then he heard a very strange sound. Something he'd not heard before, so he stood up and followed it deeper into the mountains. It was getting bitterly cold now, but it didn't bother Jack and he kept following the odd sound. Eventually he came across a very large man, he was holding something Jack did not recognize.  
  
  
The man saw Jack and dropped the thing, it cried out but the man ran off quickly.  
  
  
Jack slowly approached the thing, looking down at it curiously. It stared back up at him, eyes watery and bottom lip trembling. Jack knelt down and the thing held out it's arms towards him, it's body shivering almost violently. Jack recoiled slightly, it was a very strange creature and he wasn't sure if it was trying to attack him or not. It stood up and took a few steps towards him, then fell onto all fours and crawled right up to him.  
  
  
Jack was very still as the thing held onto him, pulling itself up onto it's feet again. It grabbed his shirt and wouldn't let go when Jack tried to push it off, so he gathered it up into his arms and stood to see if he could find the man.  
  
  
  
  
  
Was this thing his?  Jack scanned and saw the man, hiding behind some boulders. He walked towards the boulders, but as he got closer; the man sprang out and dashed away again. Jack decided this thing must not be very important to the man, so what should he do with it?  He looked down and noticed it was sleeping, so he carried it back to his tree and sat down.  
  
  
He nursed the sleeping creature, cradling it in his arms but it was starting to shiver uncontrollably and turn slightly blue. He knew he had to keep it warm somehow, so he stood up and looked around for some sort of shelter. He spied a sort of cave ahead and walked into it, it was a lot warmer inside here so he sat down and held the thing close to him. When it woke up, it toddled around the cave and played with sticks and rocks. Jack watched it very curiously for a long time, he was so fascinated; never having ever seen such a thing before in his entire life!  
  
  
It was very little, looked kind of like a human only smaller - so he named it, Small Thing.


	7. Don't Hurt Her

He was able to give Small Thing drinks by giving it snow to eat, but he knew it'd be wanting food soon. At some point, it's cloth fell off and he saw that she was in fact, female. He wasn't sure what Small Thing ate, he tried to give her part of the hare he'd caught earlier but she refused it.  He took off his shirt and wrapped her in it when she fell asleep again, he lay her down right at the back of the cave and went out to see if he could find something she'd like better to eat. Snow made it very hard for things to grow, so berries and nuts were out of the question.  
  
  
After finding nothing of interest, Jack returned to find the man inside his cave. He had Small Thing in his arms, she was crying and trying to kick out at him. Jack felt something surge inside of him.  
  
  
"Put. Her. Down!" he growled, his eyes glowing fiercely.  
  
  
The man slowly lowered Small Thing to the ground, his hands trembling and his eyes wide with fear.  
  
  
"What the fuck _are you?!_ " he demanded.  
  
  
The instant Small Thing was safely on the ground, Jack hauled the man outside the cave. The man struggled, Jack's grip tightened around his throat and he struggled less. Jack stopped walking and knelt down, close to the man's ear.  
  
  
"Small Thing is not yours," he whispered quietly, "why do you have her?"  
  
  
The man coughed, blood spattering his lips.  
  
  
"She was just there," he cried, "playing all alone, I couldn't help myself!"  
  
  
The deadly spines along Jack's backbone raised, droplets on the tips of them gleaming in the sunlight. The man whimpered when he saw them, they were quite long now - around seven inches or more.  
  
  
"You intended to _hurt her_?" asked Jack.  
  
  
The man did not respond, staring in terror at the spines.  
  
  
Jack took hold of his lower jaw, then he asked the question again.  
  
  
"Were you going to _hurt_ her?!" he demanded, squeezing the man's jaw hard.  
  
  
"I don't know!" the man struggled to talk.  
  
  
A sickening crack, a horrified shriek and the man lay in the snow. His lower jaw ripped clean off, he bled to death quickly.


	8. The Accusation

Jack returned to Small Thing, wrapped her in his shirt and gathered her up into his arms.  
  
  
She stopped crying and he sat down with her.  
  
  
*  
  
  
There was a huge snowstorm that night, which he knew may last for several days.  
  
  
He still had nothing to feed Small Thing, sensing her growing weaker by the hour was distressing.  
  
  
Finally, in the middle of the snowstorm, Jack had no other choice but to leave the cave.  
  
  
He held her tightly to his chest, keeping her covered as best he could and making his way back towards the city. Jen would know what to do, of that he was certain.  
  
  
**  
  
  
Jen was watching the news again, the snowstorm had forced the search for the little girl to be called off. There was no way she'd survive that, all hope had been lost now. Jen turned off the television and sat very still, having heard a noise outside. She slowly walked to her front door, jumping in fright when someone started knocking on it loudly. She opened the door and Jack stumbled inside.  
  
  
"Jack!" Jen closed the door and looked at the bundle in his arms, "wait... it _was_ you??"  
  
  
Jen couldn't believe it, he'd kidnapped a baby?!  
  
  
"Jack..." she said, disappointedly, " _what have you done??_ "  
  
  
She walked over to Jack, who allowed her to gently remove the infant from his arms.  
  
  
"She's _freezing!_ " Jen took her into the livingroom and sat down with her by the fireplace.  
  
  
Jack followed them slowly, watching silently.  
  
  
Jen picked up her phone and called the hotline she'd seen on the news, reporting that she had found the missing toddler.  
  
  
She then turned to Jack, trying to keep calm.  
  
  
"How could you _do this?_ " she accused him angrily.  
  
  
Jack was confused, he didn't understand why she was so upset.  
  
  
"What were you going to do, _eat her?!_ " demanded Jen.  
  
  
Jack looked surprised.  
  
  
" _No!_ " he responded sharply.  
  
  
"Then why is she _naked_?" asked Jen, "if you _weren't_ going to eat her?"  
  
  
Jack tried to comprehend why she'd accuse him of this, he would _never_ hurt Small Thing!  
  
  
"I took her from a strange man," he told her, "she did not belong to him, she was not safe. I had to bring her here, she is starving... "  
  
  
Jen looked suddenly apologetic.  
  
  
"So.. You really _did_ find her?" she asked him.  
  
  
"Of _course!_ ," Jack replied, angrily.  
  
  
Jen looked down at the toddler, who opened her eyes and gave a little whimper.  
  
  
Jen was startled by how fast Jack moved to her side and scooped her up, checking her over for injury.  
  
  
"I'll fix her some warm milk," Jen said, standing up and heading into the kitchen.  
  
  
Jack followed her after he was certain Small Thing was unharmed, relieved that Jen knew what to feed her.  
  
  
Once the warm milk had been fed to Small Thing, Jen wrapped her in a blanket and sat on the sofa to wait for the family to come.  
  
  
"What will happen now?" asked Jack.  
  
  
"Her mother will come and take her home," Jen replied.  
  
  
Jack fell silent and Jen felt badly for accusing him of something so despicable.


	9. New Emotions

A few hours later, Jen was watching out the window for the child's mother.  
  
  
Jack was keeping Small Thing entertained by changing the colors of his eyes, it made him smile when she squealed with delight and tried to poke them.  
  
  
There was a knock at the door and Jen answered it, eventually leading a very distraught woman into the livingroom. Her face was stained with tears, she was accompanied by her partner, the press and several policemen. There was an ambulance outside, waiting to take the family to the hospital and make sure the baby was alright.  
  
  
Jack looked on sadly as they took the baby away, fighting the urge to just take her back and keep her close where she'd be safe. The woman thanked Jack for saving her baby, her partner hugged him and Jack looked at Small Thing. The little baby smiled at him and made gurgling sounds, reaching out to him with her chubby little arms. The woman let Jack take Small Thing for one last cuddle, he held her tightly and closed his eyes when she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
  
Several cameras flashed.  
  
  
Jen grabbed some tissues and dried her eyes, poor Jack had grown attached to the little tot.  
  
  
*  
  
  
After everyone had left and Jen had given her statement to the police, the house fell into silence once more.  
  
  
Jen turned to look over at Jack, who was looking at her with an icy stare.  
  
  
"I'm sorry, Jack," she apologized, "I should _never_ have accused you of--... "  
  
  
He walked past her and went to his bedroom - Slamming the door shut.  
  
  
Jen sat on the sofa and cried openly into her hands, it had been such an emotionally draining night for her.  
  
  
Jack listened to her for a while, standing by his window and staring out at the night sky. She eventually went to bed and Jack could hear her falling asleep a while later, he opened his door wide. Walking down the hall, Jack checked and made sure all locks were shut up tight.  Then he went outside and took a long walk, just around the area so he could memorize it like a map in his mind. He came across a lot of streets, several parks and loads of stores. There were dark alleys, shifty looking people who eyed him warily as he passed by and the odd stray four legged animal.  
  
  
Jack had once called them Yappy Woof Things and Fluffy Hiss Things. Now he knew they were dogs and cats, thanks to Jen. He owed her a lot, he knew that but... She had hurt him tonight. Not physically, which confused him because she hadn't actually touched him at all yet he felt pain. It hurt deep inside of his chest, making him feel quite down and upset. It was a weird feeling, he had no idea how to mend it because he didn't know what had been broken. He returned to Jen's house, let himself in and stoked the fire so it wouldn't go out.


	10. You Should Be Proud

Jen opened her eyes the next day and went into the bathroom to shower, then she ventured out to the kitchen to make breakfast. As she passed by Jack's door, she was pleased to see it open again but he was not inside. She peered into the livingroom and found him silently gazing into the fire, so she left him alone and had breakfast by herself. It was so quiet that she jumped in fright when her phone rang, it was Sierra.  
  
  
"Jack's in all of the papers!" Sierra informed her, "he's all over the news! You must be so _proud_ of him!"  
  
  
Jen burst into tears once more, unable to stop herself from sobbing loudly.  
  
  
Minutes later, Sierra let herself into Jen's house and hugged her friend. It was handy to have a spare key...  
  
  
"Jen, what's happened?" Sierra asked her.  
  
  
Jen accepted a tissue and tried to calm down, but it wasn't easy.  
  
  
She told Sierra the whole story, then she sniffled and blew her nose; startling Jack in the other room.  
  
  
"Do you believe him?" asked Sierra.  
  
  
Jen shrugged.  
  
  
"I don't know," she replied honestly, "that's the problem, I just don't know what to think!"  
  
  
"I think you should trust him," Sierra told her, "he's never let us down before."  
  
  
Jen smiled.  
  
  
"You're a much better friend to him than I am," she said quietly, "you're sitting there all proud and all I can think of is him bringing _dinner home_... "  
  
  
She burst into tears again, feeling Sierra's arm around her once more.


	11. Reassurance

Jack was not listening to them while they talked, he was thinking about Small Thing and how Jen had accused him of wanting to eat her. The pain in his chest hurt much worse when he thought about that, he realized.  
  
  
  
  
  
He startled at a strange noise, it broke his train of thought and he stood up as Jen suddenly burst into tears again. He frowned, he'd seen people cry before but he'd only ever done it once himself. It confused him, it didn't seem to serve much of a purpose and it was quite noisy.  
  
  
He found it irritating and moved away to the back room, where he looked around at many shelves of books. He sat down in a large armchair, it smelled kind of musty in here but it was quiet so he stayed there and closed his eyes restfully.  After a while, he was aware of someone entering the room.  
  
  
"Jack?" Sierra's voice made him open his eyes.  
  
  
He looked at her, sitting up a little.  
  
  
"Hey, baby," Sierra smiled at him, "how are you?"  
  
  
Jack lowered his gaze to the floor.  
  
  
"You're probably super confused right now, huh?" asked Sierra.  
  
  
Jack nodded slowly, returning his gaze to meet with hers.  
  
  
"You wanna talk about it, sweets?" Sierra suggested.  
  
  
"Not really," Jack responded shortly.  
  
  
Sierra walked over to him and knelt down in front of him, her hand on his knee in a comforting gesture.  
  
  
"Maybe I can help you understand," she tried again, "won't you tell me what's wrong?"  
  
  
Jack pushed her hand away.  
  
  
Sierra was patient.  
  
  
"Jen thinks I did something bad," he finally spoke.  
  
  
Sierra nodded.  
  
  
"I know," she replied, "but you didn't, sweetheart. You saved that baby's life, you're a hero! Everybody says so! You should see the newspapers..."  
  
  
Jack stared evenly at her.  
  
  
"If everyone else believes me," he said firmly, "then why doesn't Jen?"  
  
  
Sierra's smile faded and she sighed heavily.  
  
  
"I can't answer that one, hun,"  she replied softly, "only Jen knows why."  
  
  
She stood up, leaned in and kissed his cheek.  
  
  
"I think you should try that missing persons job again," she whispered, "I just know you'll do great!"  
  
  
She left him alone once more, returning to the kitchen and to Jen.


	12. Anger And Fear

Jack felt angrier than before, his chest was hurting again and he felt the urge to do something. It was bubbling up inside of him, he made fists with his hands but he wasn't sure what to do. He stood up, looking around the room and finally - He grabbed the armchair and destroyed it.  
  
  
Jen listened to Jack's frenzied attack in the back room, her body giving off an involuntary shudder.  
  
  
"You really don't trust him, do you?" asked Sierra.  
  
  
Jen shook her head, tears flowing again.  
  
  
"Maybe I should take him home with me for a while," Sierra suggested, "just until things, you know, calm down a little?"  
  
  
Jen nodded, smiling lightly.  
  
  
"That'd be good," she said quietly, "thanks Sierra... "  
  
  
"My pleasure," Sierra hugged her again, "don't you worry about a thing, I'll take real great care of him."  
  
  
Jen knew she would, but how was Jack going to take the news?  
  
  
Sierra peered around the doorway, Jack was breathing heavily and staring down at the mess he'd made of the armchair.  
  
  
"Jack?" she called softly. He looked at her, then back down to the mess.  
  
  
"It was ugly," he explained.  
  
  
Sierra smiled at him.  
  
  
"I've always hated that armchair," she replied.


	13. Feeling Needed

Jack felt her hand come to rest upon his shoulder, he did not even try to push her away.  
  
  
"I think you and Jen need some time apart," she told him.  
  
  
"She doesn't want me around anymore," Jack looked at her, "does she?"  
  
  
Sierra hesitated, he was _incredible_.  
  
  
"Well," she tried, "I mean... Of course she does, I just thought that maybe you guys could do with a break... You could come and stay with me for a while, if you like?"  
  
  
Jack studied her face, a slight frown gracing his features.  
  
  
"You wouldn't mind?" he asked her.  
  
  
Sierra shook her head.  
  
  
"Not at all," she smiled again, "I'd love to have you stay."  
  
  
He nodded then.  
  
  
"Alright," he agreed at last, "let's go."  
  
  
"Don't you want to pack your things?" Sierra asked him.  
  
  
Jack lowered his gaze.  
  
  
"I have nothing," he responded softly.  
  
  
Sierra felt badly for him, he didn't own a single possession in the world.  
  
  
"Come on then," she led him out of the back room, "my car's just outside."  
  
  
He followed her out to the car and got in, they drove for a while and Sierra broke the silence.  
  
  
"I know the family of that baby you rescued," she told him.  
  
  
Jack looked up.  
  
  
"I wasn't going to... "  he began, trailing off.  
  
  
"I know," Sierra answered him, "you'd never hurt anyone... "  
  
  
Jack felt a little better.  
  
  
"We can even visit them," Sierra mentioned, "if you want to."  
  
  
Jack smiled at her, feeling the pain in his chest soften somewhat.  
  
  
"I'd like that very much," he replied eagerly.  
  
  
Sierra nodded, a smug kind of look on her face as she drove into her driveway and parked the car.  
  
  
She took Jack inside and showed him around, her home was much bigger than Jen's and it looked brighter in general.  
  
  
"I know you don't sleep," Sierra told him, "so feel free to just do whatever you like... If you do feel like you want to be alone, though, you can take this room... "  
  
  
She showed him a very brightly lit room, it had a bed, a dresser, a lamp and a closet.  
  
  
"We should go shopping this weekend," Sierra said, watching Jack explore the bedroom.  
  
  
Jack turned to look at her curiously, he had never been given money for anything he'd ever done so he wasn't sure what shopping meant. During R &R his military unit often bought him drinks, which his body later rejected but that was as close to cash as he'd ever gotten.  
  
  
"We'll buy you some new clothes," Sierra added, "and anything else you want, what do you think?"  
  
  
Jack nodded slowly.  
  
  
Sierra beamed.  
  
  
"Great!" she chirped, "so what do you want to do now?"  
  
  
Jack was silent, he didn't know what to do with himself.  
  
  
"You probably want to feel useful," Sierra seemed to understand him a lot better than anyone lately, "as it happens, I know exactly the perfect job you can do for me."  
  
  
Jack followed Sierra to her bedroom, she lay down on her bed and beckoned him over. Jack seated himself beside the bed, looking slightly puzzled.  
  
  
"I can't ever sleep without taking pills," Sierra told him, "because I'm really scared... But I feel safe with you here. Will you watch out for me while I rest?"  
  
  
Jack nodded and Sierra smiled as she shut her eyes, her sleeping pills were making her feel sick and she hated taking them.  
  
  
Jack wasn't sure why she wanted to sleep in the daytime, but he remained by her side and watched for any danger while she slept.  
  
  
He felt more relaxed now, finally there was something for him to do and it was something he was very good at.  
  
  
After a while, Jack's gaze fell upon Sierra while she slept. He slowly reached out and touched her face softly, tracing her jawline with his fingertips.  
  
  
Sierra sighed and shifted slightly, so Jack withdrew his hand and continued his guard.


	14. Will You Watch Me?

Evening drew around the house and Sierra eventually woke up, she looked at Jack and smiled lazily.  
  
  
"That was the best sleep I've ever had!" she told him, "thank you... "  
  
  
Jack was glad she'd been able to get some rest.  
  
  
"I've gotta go to work soon," Sierra informed him.  
  
  
Jack looked a little disappointed.  
  
  
"Wanna come with?" Sierra asked him, getting out of bed.  
  
  
Jack looked surprised.  
  
  
"Could I?" he asked her, "I won't be in the way?"  
  
  
"Of course not!" Sierra chuckled, "come on!"  
  
  
She took his hand and led him into the bathroom.  
  
  
"Will you watch me?" she asked him, "I get worried someone might come in while I shower... "


	15. Past Abuse

Jack nodded silently.  
  
  
Sierra slipped out of her clothes, deliberately running her hands over her naked form as he watched her shower. She smiled as the hot water streamed down her body, enjoying the feel of his gaze upon her.  
  
  
Jack watched her carefully, his ears tuned for any sudden noises from outside the bathroom. His unique vision gave him the ability to see through clothing, among other things, so a naked body was nothing new to him.  
  
  
Sierra felt comfortable around Jack, she knew he'd never hurt her or try to rape her - he wouldn't know how to do the latter - and she knew he'd keep her safe, no matter what. Being in the army had shot her nerves to hell, but she could finally start on the road to normality now that Jack was around. Of course, she had always wanted him to fall in love with her since the first day they had met. This was still the hope, though she wondered if he even had the capacity to do so...  
  
  
She got out of the shower, gesturing for him to take a turn.  
  
  
Jack didn't hesitate, he really enjoyed getting clean and it was not easy to get a shower when he was fighting in a war or being locked down in the dark. He took off his clothes and Sierra watched him as he grabbed the soap and began to get himself clean, she dried her hair and kept her eye on him. She admired his lightly muscled frame, checking out his suitably impressive-sized manhood curiously.  
  
  
The sharp, venomous spikes along his spine were a little unnerving, they were bigger now that he was older and they no longer sat underneath his skin. They were relaxed, slicked down along his back and would only stand on end if he were alarmed or threatened.  
  
  
She saw his wartorn body under the hot water, he had healed of course but the evidence of abuse was still clearly visible if she looked hard enough. She reached out and ran her fingertips along a faded scar on his back, there were quite a few of them in the one area - had they whipped him?? It made her feel angry and sad, for all he'd done - he did not deserve that.  
  
  
"Those marks on your body," Sierra spoke now, "they aren't all from the enemy, are they?"  
  
  
Jack shook his head, no.  
  
  
"But it's alright," he replied automatically, "they had to keep me in line, it was for my own good."  
  
  
Sierra sighed.  
  
  
"No it wasn't," she said quietly, "that kind of treatment isn't even legal... "  
  
  
"Actually," Jack got out of the shower and picked up a towel, "I am not human. I have no rights, so it's okay."  
  
  
Sierra watched him silently as he dried and clothed himself, of _course_ they would tell him such things to justify their actions...  
  
  
It wasn't right, but it was frustratingly true.


	16. Here For You

As they drove to her workplace, neither of them spoke for a while. Sierra eventually looked at him when she stopped at a traffic light, he was watching all around and she felt _so safe_. She hadn't felt this safe since, well, she couldn't really remember.  
  
  
"Thanks Jack," she said quietly.  
  
  
He glanced at her.  
  
  
"For what?" he asked her.  
  
  
"Just for being here," Sierra replied.  
  
  
Jack offered her a slight smile, then the lights turned green and Sierra drove the rest of the way to work.  
  
  
*  
  
  
As they stepped out of the car, Jack looked up at the building. It was enormous and had a huge, red plus sign on it.  
  
  
"This is where I work now," Sierra told him, "it's called a hospital... I was a nurse before the war, it's so good to be back helping people again."  
  
  
Jack followed her inside, keen to find out more of what Sierra did to help people.  
  
  
Perhaps he could help them too...


	17. Biology Lesson

Jack stayed with Sierra for several weeks, he found that he was very useful in the hospital but his favorite days were when they visited the child he'd saved from the strange man. Her name was Lydia, but he would always know her as Small Thing. She would run up to him with her face lit up brightly, all smiles and giggles as he picked her up to greet her. More often than not, Jack was asked to babysit Lydia and he was quite happy to do it.  
  
  
This was his first paying job, though he'd have happily done it for free. Just spending time with Lydia was enough, it made him feel happy and the pain in his chest was soon forgotten. The first time Jack ever encountered a pregnant woman, was something Sierra would never forget. She took him to the maternity wing to see the tiny newborns, she loved the endearing smile they brought to his face. A woman walked over to them and Jack looked at her huge belly curiously for a moment, his eyes changing colors to see why she might be so large.  
  
  
His expression turned to shock, he grabbed Sierra's arm and seemed to be slightly panicked.  
  
  
"Sierra, she's eaten a Tiny Thing!" he exclaimed, "it's in her belly!"  
  
  
Sierra laughed and calmed him down.  
  
  
"That's not her stomach though," she pointed out, "is it, hun?"  
  
  
Jack's breathing slowed down and he looked again.  
  
  
"No," he replied, "but... why is it in _there?_ How did it get there?"  
  
  
Sierra blushed, unsure if she was the right person to tell him but then; who else was there?  
  
  
"I'll tell you another time," she tugged his arm, "come on, let's go check on the others... "  
  
  
Jack reluctantly followed her back down the corridor, knowing she probably wouldn't ever tell him anyway.


	18. The Mystery That Is Jack

One night, during Sierra's rounds at the hospital, Jack paused outside a doorway and wouldn't follow her. Sierra walked back and looked in, there was an elderly man laying in a bed.  
  
  
He was never visited, never spoke to anyone (only shouted) and always seemed to be bitterly angry.  
  
  
"Jack," Sierra whispered, "come along... "  
  
  
Jack stepped into the room, walking closer to the bedside.  
  
  
"Jack!" Sierra hissed, but he wasn't listening to her.  
  
  
He sat down beside the man, who opened his eyes and looked up at Jack with a frown.  
  
  
Sierra flinched, he was sure to start shouting at Jack for interrupting his sleep and then the entire ward would be awake. The man mutely reached out his hand towards Jack, who took it with both of his.  
  
  
"I'm scared," the man whispered.  
  
  
"I'm here," Jack spoke softly in return. The man did not know Jack, nor did Jack know him. Yet the man felt safe enough to close his eyes and Sierra was amazed. After a minute, the man stopped breathing and passed away peacefully in his sleep. Jack continued to hold his hand until they took his body away, he and Sierra were allowed to return home early that night but neither of them spoke about the incident until the next evening.  
  
  
**  
  
  
"Are you alright?" Sierra asked him, as she got ready for work.  
  
  
Jack did not reply.  
  
  
"Do you always know when someone is about to die?" Sierra pressed him.  
  
  
Jack watched her, but he still did not respond.  
  
  
"We'd better hurry," Sierra told him, "I don't want to be late... "  
  
  
Jack slowly stood and they drove back to the hospital, he stared out the car window silently as they went along the road. Sierra thought about all the things Jack was doing to make life easier for everyone at the hospital, he could see inside of people and help the doctors make a diagnosis much faster and it was cheaper than testing the patients. He could see if something was wrong with unborn babies, such as cord strangulation happening and now he'd revealed he could sense imminent death.  
  
  
It was _astounding_ , she wished there were more of his kind around; so many could benefit from them!  
  
  
It made her think of how alone he must feel, there wasn't another one like him on the entire planet.


	19. The Birds And The Bees

As she did her rounds, Jack was oddly silent and Sierra decided to just give him his space. Jack noted that she was not trying to make him talk to her tonight, he appreciated that because he had a lot to think about. He was learning so much about the human body, but there was one thing that both fascinated and confused him the most.  
  
  
"Sierra," he finally spoke.  
  
  
Sierra looked around at him, smiling gently.  
  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked him.  
  
  
"How did Tiny Thing get into the woman's belly if she did not swallow it?" he asked.  
  
  
Sierra leaned against the wall, a puzzling expression upon her face.  
  
  
"It's difficult to explain," she spoke slowly, thinking hard, "maybe I can show you a video... "  Again she paused and blushed, this was _really awkward_...  
  
  
"They're called babies," she reminded him, "they are young children who have not been born yet."  
  
  
Jack thought for a moment, then he nodded and stopped asking questions. He could sense that Sierra was uncomfortable, so he would just have to wait until she was ready to explain it to him in detail.


	20. Jack's Birthday

That morning, as Sierra fell asleep in her bed with Jack watching over her; he felt something come over him and he gave a yawn. Climbing onto the bed, he closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. Nobody knew it, but he slept every two years - which meant it was his birthday (or hatchday?)  today. He'd lost count long ago how many of these he'd had, it didn't seem important to keep track.  
  
  
*  
  
  
When he woke a few hours later, he resumed his position beside Sierra's bed and kept watch; fully rested. He waited until she woke up, then he went to his bedroom and lay down on his own bed for a while. Sierra had regained some of her nerves, she no longer needed Jack to watch her every minute of the day and he was starting to feel less useful. Jen would visit every so often, but she never stayed for very long and Jack felt it was because of him.  
  
  
Whenever Jen came over, Sierra noticed how Jack's eyes would just brighten up considerably. It made her feel quite jealous, but Jen was her best friend; so she didn't stop her from visiting. Jen felt more at ease now that Jack was no longer in her home, if he ever actually decided to turn very bad... She shuddered at the thought, for very few had the ability to stop him - if _anyone_ anymore...  Jack was content to stay with Sierra, she was kind to him and made sure he never got bored for too long. He had a closet full of different things to wear, but he still did not own anything yet. There just wasn't anything he really wanted, no matter which store Sierra took him into.  
  
  
Sierra picked up on Jack's increased sadness this afternoon, she looked into his room and saw him hugging his pillow close to him.  
  
  
"Do you wanna go see Lydia?" she asked him.  
  
  
Jack shook his head, no. He adored Small Thing, but today was not the best day for him to visit her. Sierra was silent for a long while, thinking hard. Finally, she ventured into his room and sat down beside him.  
  
  
"Would you like to go and see your mother?" she asked softly.  
  
  
Jack turned to look at her, she put her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze.  
  
  
"Come on," she encouraged him, "we better hurry before it gets dark."  
  
  
She took him out to the car and drove him to the final resting place of Amelia Celliers.  
  
  
*  
  
  
The cemetary was quiet and Jack found the grave without even trying, he just knew exactly where it was. Sierra followed him to the site, standing back a little, respectfully. The grave was clean and not overgrown with weeds, someone had been looking after it very nicely. Jack sat down, picking up his colorful ball and holding it to his chest.  
  
  
"I really miss you, mumma," he spoke softly.  
  
  
Sierra sniffled and wiped her eyes, it broke her heart to think the only one who ever truly cared about him was gone from his life forever. She hoped that she could take care of him well enough, but nobody could replace a mother's love. Jack took the ball home with him, placing it upon the end of his bed carefully. It was his only possession in the world and he held it very dear, so he didn't want to leave it behind again.


	21. It Hurts

Later that night, Jen came over for dinner and Jack was excited to see her again; as always. Sierra liked it when Jen came over, because Jack would brighten up and be his regular self again. He would eat and smile more, it was good to see him this way but she still felt jealous that he didn't behave the same way around _her_. Jack was strangely fidgety tonight, he kept squirming in his chair and making pained faces.  
  
  
"What's wrong, Jack?" asked Sierra.  
  
  
"It's my back," he answered with a wriggle, "it's been very itchy for a few days, but now it kind of aches... "  
  
  
Jen frowned.  
  
  
"That's not a good sign," she remarked, "if Jack's feeling pain, it _has_ to be bad... "  
  
  
"Let us see," Sierra suggested, standing up and walking over to him. Jack got out of his chair and Jen stood nearby to watch. Sierra unbuttoned his shirt, pushed it down over his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. He turned so they could see his back, Sierra and Jen gasped with surprise. There were two bright red marks, one on each side of his back just behind the shoulder blades. They looked almost raw, like they might bleed at any given moment. Jen touched one of them with her fingertips and Jack winced, Jen pulled her hand away quickly.  
  
  
"It's like fire," she noted, "it burns to touch... "  
  
  
"Jack, try having a cold shower," Sierra suggested, "see if it helps."  
  
  
Jack picked up his shirt and nodded, moving off to the bathroom.  
  
  
"What happened?" asked Sierra, following him.  
  
  
"Nothing," Jack replied, "at least, nothing I can remember... "  
  
  
_Had it happened while he slept?_  
  
  
Jen and Sierra stood by the door as Jack turned on the water.  
  
  
"I've gotta run," Jen told Sierra, "call me if you guys need anything."  
  
  
"Okay," Sierra showed her out while Jack got into the shower, "bye Jen."  
  
  
"Bye," Jen smiled and left.  
  
  
Sierra returned to Jack, watching him relax against the cold tiles of the wall.  
  
  
"It feels better," he told her, "cold really seems to help."  
  
  
Sierra was relieved.  
  
  
"Thank goodness for that," she said, "but what is it? I hope you're not getting sick, no doctor would know what to do!"  
  
  
"I feel fine," Jack insisted.  
  
  
He turned off the water, the ache was gone but it still itched a little.


	22. Seducing Jack

Sierra was holding a towel, she stepped towards him and wrapped the towel around his waist. He stood watching her curiously, as she stared at his eyes for a moment before kissing his mouth softly. Jack was vaguely familiar with the gesture, it was a display of affection and he responded accordingly.  
  
  
Sierra smiled at him, leaning in to kiss his lips again. Jack felt her tongue flick out and he instinctively opened his mouth, it was a bit messy after that because he'd never made out before but Sierra didn't hold it against him. He put his arms around her and she held his upper arms tightly, a shiver ran down her spine. After a while, they drew apart and opened their eyes. Jack slowly let her go and Sierra stepped back a little from him.  
  
  
"I hope I wasn't out of line," she said softly.  
  
  
"No," Jack reassured her, "it.. it was nice."  
  
  
He left the bathroom and Sierra leaned against the wall with a sigh, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
  
Jack got dried in his bedroom, wondering why she had displayed such overt affection towards him. He turned to find her in his doorway, looking at him with half closed eyes.  
  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked her.  
  
  
"Never better," she replied quietly, smiling at him like a predator and entering his room. She closed the door behind her, stalking towards him. He backed away from her until he was against the wall, then she paused in front of him and smiled. She slowly took off her clothes, now standing before him as naked as he was.  
  
  
"Sierra... " Jack looked confused, "what... what are you doing?"  
  
  
"It's okay," Sierra reassured him, "this isn't going to hurt, I promise."  
  
  
This made Jack tense up quite visibly, because he'd heard that one before and it was never, _ever_ true.  
  
  
_Not even once._  
  
  
There was a sound from the livingroom and Sierra turned just in time to see Jen stop short as she opened the door.  
  
  
"Forgot my... What's going on?!" she looked betrayed and hurt.


	23. We're Going Home

Sierra felt guilty, because even though she'd flirted with Jack first; it was Jen who had fallen in love with him. Jen would never admit it, claiming she just wanted to be his friend but deep down she knew she was only fooling herself.  
  
  
"It's not what you think," Sierra tried.  
  
  
Jen smiled sadly at her, eyes filled with tears.  
  
  
"Really?" she asked, "then explain to me what I should be thinking other than you're trying to _fuck him!_ "  
  
  
Jack knew the curse word but was unsure of it's context here, so he remained silent.  
  
  
"I wouldn't do that," Sierra lied quickly, "I was about to shower and ... and Jack cried out so I came running to see if he was okay... "  
  
  
Jack looked confused, _that wasn't right_...  
  
  
"And you just _happened_ to shut the door," Jen narrowed her eyes, not believing her. Jen looked past Sierra to Jack, his eyes wide and his body slightly trembling.  
  
  
"Poor thing doesn't even know what's going on," she said quietly, "why? Why couldn't you just leave him alone?"  
  
  
Sierra stopped answering now, there wasn't any point.  
  
  
"Get your clothes on," Jen spoke to Jack now, "we're going home."  
  
  
Jack moved over to his closet, putting his clothes on and grabbing his ball. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he felt elated that Jen finally wanted him to come back. He had missed her sorely.  
  
  
"Jen," Sierra grabbed her arm before she could leave, "we're still friends, right? I am really sorry, I don't know what came over me... "  
  
  
Jen looked her over, shook her head and walked out.  
  
  
Jack was already in the car, keen to get home.  
  
  
Jen started up the car and began to drive back to her house, a feeling of comfort entering her heart that had left her the moment Sierra had taken Jack away.  
  
  
"Are you angry with Sierra?" Jack asked her.  
  
  
"Yeah, I am, sweetheart," Jen replied, "she was trying to get into your pants, traitorous _bitch!_ "  
  
  
Jack frowned.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I've got plenty of pants," he told Jen.  
  
  
She couldn't help but laugh gently, she sure had missed his innocence.  
  
  
"Nevermind, baby," she assured him, "let's just get you home."  
  
  
Jack gazed out the window, did this mean Jen finally believed he wasn't going to hurt Small Thing?  He certainly hoped so, it was awkward to be around someone who was afraid of him.


	24. I Will Protect You

When they got inside, Jack went right to his bedroom and placed the ball on the end of his bed carefully. Jen smiled at him, watching from his doorway and was glad she'd caught Sierra. It made her realize that she had deeper feelings for Jack than she had admitted, if Sierra hadn't been stopped tonight...  
  
  
Jen felt a wave of sadness wash over her, Jack would not have understood what was happening and he might have liked the pleasure of it all but she knew that somewhere deep inside it wouldn't feel okay. It was a violation of his trust and innocence, he would likely have withdrawn from people afterwards, she was so angry at Sierra for not thinking it out better. He'd been through quite enough.  
  
  
Jen knew that sometime soon she'd like to sleep with Jack herself, but she would do it slowly and only when he was ready. She wasn't sure how to tell when he _was_ ready, so she would need to watch for any signals from him very carefully.  
  
  
Jack looked at her and she felt her heart flutter, she wasn't afraid anymore.  
  
  
"Will you be going to bed soon?" he asked her.  
  
  
"Yes, sweetheart," Jen replied, "it's been a long day."  
  
  
Jack walked over to her and hugged her, something he'd never done before. He had never initiated such contact before, so it took her by surprise.  
  
  
"I'll keep watch," he told her, letting go, "so you can sleep easier."  
  
  
Jen raised her brows, but accepted the offer and led him to her bedroom.  
  
  
He sat down beside her bed, as she lay down and got comfortable.  
  
  
Knowing he was there watching over her certainly felt good, she was relaxed and soon drifted into a deep slumber.  
  
  
Sometime during the night, Jack climbed in under the blankets with her and she put her arm over him. Jack snuggled up and they lay together for the rest of the night.


	25. I Feel So Useless

Jen woke up and yawned silently, Jack was still snuggled into her and watching the window. She wondered what he saw out there, slowly sitting up and smiling at him. Jack sat back a little and looked at Jen now, she was awake and that meant breakfast time.  
  
  
"You're probably hungry, huh?" Jen asked him.  
  
  
Jack nodded, eyes bright and keen to get going.

  
  
*

  
After they had eaten, Jen took him into the livingroom and sat down on the sofa with him.  
  
  
"Jack," she ventured curiously, "do you ever get strange feelings inside?"  
  
  
Jack hesitated, unsure of what she meant.  
  
  
"Sometimes I feel like I want to do something bad," Jack admitted, lowering his gaze in shame, "but I don't... "  
  
  
"Bad?" asked Jen, "like what?"  
  
  
Jack was silent for a while, then he looked away.  
  
  
"Go back," he replied softly, "I feel so useless... "  
  
  
Jen took a minute to figure out he meant go back to the military, where he was quite welcome to get right back to work. There might not be a war on right now, but there was always a conflict somewhere.  
  
  
"You're doing more good here than you ever could in a battle," Jen told him, "killing people isn't the way to go, sweetheart. Making them feel better is the right thing to do, trust me... "  
  
  
Jack had to admit it did feel rewarding to help people, it never made him feel terrible at all.


	26. I Love You, Jack

Jen took his hand and he looked at her, she drew him into a hug and smiled as she felt his tension fade away.

  
  
"I love you, Jack," she whispered. He drew back, looking at her strangely because only his mother had ever used that word to describe how she felt towards him. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, he slightly opened his mouth and she slipped her tongue inside. Jen was surprised he knew how to make out, though he was a little all over the place. It seemed Sierra had been quite busier than she'd thought...  
  
  
She gently cupped his face into her hands, spending the next few minutes refining his technique so that he could respond more perfectly. He didn't take long to get the hang of it, pulling Jen down on top of him as he lay down with his back onto the sofa. His arms were around her, but she could only hold onto his shoulders for fear of the spikes along his spine. They were coated with venom, if she so much as accidentally pricked her finger on one of them - she'd be in serious trouble.  
  
  
Jen carefully lowered one of his hands to slide up under her shirt, pushing it up so that his hand came to grasp onto her breast. A long time ago, Jack remembered having such a thing in his mouth when Amelia had tried to see if he'd be interested in human breastmilk. He hadn't liked the milk at all, so why was Jen making him grasp her breast now?  She made a sound that he liked, so he squeezed it and she made the sound again.  
  
  
Jen couldn't stop herself from moaning in pleasure, but she had to stay aware of how he was feeling. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable, or push him into something he didn't want to do. She took off her shirt, encouraging him to massage both of her breasts with his hands. Jack was compliant and watched in fascination, this was all very new to him and he wasn't sure why; but it was enjoyable.  
  
  
Deciding that perhaps he was more than ready, Jen began to grind herself into him to see how he would respond. Jack felt her shifting as he continued to fondle her breasts curiously, they were firm and kind of squishy; very pleasing to the touch. When she ground herself into him, he looked a little confused for a moment and then he closed his eyes. Whatever she was doing, it felt quite nice and he wanted her to keep going but she stopped. Jen decided his reaction was positive enough, so she stopped and climbed off the sofa. Jack sat up, tilting his head in wonder.  
  
  
"Come on," Jen told him, "it's more comfortable in bed."  
  
  
Jack got up off the sofa, he wasn't tired at all but he followed her anyway.


	27. Make Love, Not War

She told him to sit down on the bed, so he did and she was soon on the bed with him. Jen unbuttoned his shirt, taking it off and throwing it to the foor. She unzipped his pants, watching him carefully. Jack was calm, simply looking on curiously as she undressed both him and herself. When they had not a stitch of clothing left upon their bodies, Jen started kissing him again. Jack sighed into the kiss, leaning back as she climbed over him. Jen straddled him, wrapping her legs around him and reaching one hand down to grasp his length gently. Jack uttered a soft groan in response, causing a thrill to flutter inside of Jen.

  
  
Slowly, she brought her entrance closer to his hardened member. Jack felt something warm and moist caressing up and down along his erection, his eyes opened for a moment and then closed again. He brought his hands up to massage her breasts, Jen moaned and continued to tease herself along his cock. She was so ready for him, eventually pushing herself down onto his throbbing muscle. Jack pulled away from her lips, tensing up slightly and uttering a sharp gasp of surprise. He was inside of her somehow and he held perfectly still, not wanting to hurt her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oohh," Jen moaned, "it's okay... "  
  
  
Jack felt her enveloping him more, as she continued to lower herself down over him. He slowly closed his eyes again, his heart beating faster now and his breathing became a little heavier. Jen leaned down and captured his parted lips with her own, bringing him into a sensual kiss as she slowly began to make small thrusting motions with her hips. Jack could feel her moving and he felt himself matching her thrusts after a moment, sounds escaping his throat that he'd never heard before. Jen was making similar noises, so he figured it was normal and moved his hands down to grasp her hips.  
  
  
"Jack!" Jen cried out as he thrust into her, using his grip on her to penetrate her deeper, "oohh, _yesss_... Jack!"  
  
  
He uttered a strange new purr in response, a kind of erotic noise that made Jen feel more aroused then she'd ever been before. She gasped as something pricked and burned her flesh, Jack's clawed fingers gripping her tighter now. She moaned and started to kiss his throat, he hadn't meant to extend the claws but Jen didn't mind a light scratch here and there. No longer unsure if he was ready, Jen lost herself in the throes of passion but was ever mindful of his shifting moods.  
  
  
Jack was very aroused, a feeling he'd never had before and it both excited and confused him. His body was doing things involuntarily, which unnerved and fascinated him but the feelings of warmth and pleasure soothed any fears he had in the beginning. Jen would often guide his hands over her body, he enjoyed the way she felt and the sounds that she made whenever he got something right. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and he felt her starting to tremble, her body giving way to an orgasm moments later.  
  
  
She shook in his arms, her body moving in strange, contorted ways that worried him a little. If she wasn't still calling his name and moaning, he would have asked her if she was alright. He took in some sharp breaths as her inner walls began to convulse, twitching and tightening around his cock. As the inner muscles massaged him, Jack shut his eyes tightly and a growl emitted from deep in his throat. Jen felt him tensing up, so she moved her hips in a circular motion and thrust them gently. Jack felt his own body start to tremble, as he fought off whatever was trying to happen to him.  
  
  
He arched his back, then he grasped her hips harder and Jen's eyes rolled closed as he let out a surprised moan of release. Jen gasped at the intensity of it all, Jack was experiencing his very first orgasm and she wanted to make sure it was the best one ever. She continued thrusting until his breathing calmed down, his body relaxed and his eyes slowly opened. His heart was pounding, eyes wide open with shock. That strange feeling had subsided now, it had started like a tingle and ended up like an explosion. He had never felt anything so pleasurable in his life.


	28. Our Special Thing

Jen kissed him, smiling against his lips when he drew her in closer.  
  
  
"Can we do that again?" he whispered, still a little breathless.  
  
  
She laughed softly.  
  
  
"Did you enjoy yourself?" she asked him.  
  
  
"Yes," he answered honestly, "it was incredible... "  
  
  
Jen relaxed beside him, her head upon his chest and she listened to his pounding heart.  
  
  
"Jack this is our special thing," she told him, "you must promise me you'll never do this with anyone else, okay?"  
  
  
Jack wasn't sure why he had to keep such a promise, it was something that felt so wonderful; why couldn't he share it?  
  
  
"Alright," he said after a moment, "but why?"  
  
  
Jen hugged him tightly.  
  
  
"Because," she replied, "making love is something two people do who really love each other, you _do_ love me, don't you?"  
  
  
Jack had no idea, he could only take her word for it.  
  
  
"I suppose I do," he looked down at her, "I've never felt anything like the way you make me feel."  
  
  
Jack had never really given a damn about how others felt about him, but when Jen rejected his presence, it had seriously bothered him.  
  
  
"You really hurt me," he said softly.  
  
  
Jen kissed his cheek.  
  
  
"I'm so sorry, baby," she apologized, "I'll never doubt you again."  
  
  
Jack smiled a little, then he sat up a bit more.  
  
  
"Jen," he frowned slightly. Jen looked at him curiously.  
  
  
"Hm?" she wondered what could be wrong.  
  
  
"Can we have lunch now?" Jack asked her, "I'm _starving!_ "


	29. Lust

Jen collapsed in laughter, while Jack stared at her as if she'd lost the plot.  
  
  
"Of course we can, sweetheart," she chuckled, getting out of bed, "just let's get cleaned up first, okay?"  
  
  
Jack got up, too.  
  
  
"Alright," he agreed, "do you want to shower first?"  
  
  
She touched his face.  
  
  
"Why don't we both go in at the same time?" she suggested.  
  
  
Jack felt something stir in his chest and followed her to the bathroom.  
  
  
She got in when the water was warm enough, running her hands over her body and smiling at him invitingly.  
  
  
"It makes my knees feel all weak when you do stuff like that," Jack told her.  
  
  
Jen took his hand and pulled him in...


	30. Friends Again

It was about a week later when Sierra dared to show her face at Jen's front door again, she rang the doorbell and Jack opened it. He looked at her curiously, he wasn't wearing a shirt and Sierra had to force herself not to admire his perfectly toned abs.  
  
  
"I-I'm here to see Jen," Sierra stammered, "is she home?"  
  
  
"I am," Jen came up to the door, standing beside Jack.  
  
  
Sierra was glad Jen hadn't slammed the door in her face.  
  
  
"Jen I wish I could take back what I almost did," she apologized, "you and I have been through too much to let it end like this... "  
  
  
Jen pushed the door open a little more.  
  
  
"Come in," she sighed, closing the door behind Sierra as she entered.  
  
  
Jack left them to it, not following them to the livingroom. He went to his bedroom and picked up his ball, then he curled up on his bed; holding it close and shutting his eyes in sudden pain. He didn't want to disturb Jen and Sierra, they needed to work it out.  
  
  
Jen sat down and Sierra sat across from her, so far so good.  
  
  
"I really did want to give you time to calm down," Sierra told Jen, "I swear I didn't set out to seduce Jack from the start... He made me feel so safe, like nobody could get to me."  
  
  
Jen nodded, she knew the feeling well.  
  
  
"He has this way of making you feel like you're the most important person in the world," Jen smiled fondly.  
  
  
"He does," Sierra agreed, "and I made a mistake. I am really, really sorry Jen. Can you ever forgive me?"  
  
  
Jen was silent for a while, Sierra had been her best friend since they were kids.  
  
  
"I forgive you," she said softly, "we weren't officially together, Jack and I... but we are now."  
  
  
"I respect that," Sierra nodded, "I promise I'll keep my hands off from now on."  
  
  
Jen was about to offer her a coffee, when they heard a horrible scream coming from Jack's room.  
  
  
Sierra's eyes grew wide.  
  
  
"Jack!" she shouted, getting to her feet instantly.


	31. Coming Of Age

Jen was already bursting into his room, Jack was writhing in agony on his bed; the sheets covered with blood.  
  
  
"He's never bled before!" Jen was almost hysterical, "oh my God, I've never heard him scream like that, what do we do??"  
  
  
Sierra went to Jack and pushed him onto his front, the two marks on his back were open and bleeding.  
  
  
"Cold water!" Sierra remembered, "he said it helped... "  
  
  
They both took an arm each and Jack leaned on them weakly, taking in sharp, short breaths to deal with the pain.  
  
  
As soon as the cold water streamed down his back, he groaned in relief and rubbed up against the cool tiles. But it wasn't helping, it wasn't enough this time and the burning got more intense. Jack screamed again, falling to his knees.  
  
  
"What can we do?" Jen demanded, tears flowing down her cheeks, "Jack _talk to us!_ "  
  
  
"Out... " Jack moaned, another uncontrollable scream escaping him.  
  
  
"I think he wants us to take him outside," Sierra guessed.  
  
  
"If he screams like that outside," Jen responded, "someone will call the police!"  
  
  
"We don't have any other choice!" Sierra grabbed Jack's arm, "help me!"  
  
  
Jen grabbed his other arm and they took him into the back yard.  
  
  
Jack collapsed into the snow, rolling onto his back. It melted fast, a hissing sound coming from it as his hot body hit the ice. Jack felt the relief more intensely this time, he sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
  
"Jack," Sierra looked down at him, "what's going on?!"  
  
  
He slowly sat up, then got onto all fours and lowered his head.  
  
  
Jen and Sierra's mouths dropped open as two, huge, dragon-like wings unfurled themselves from the deep gashes in his back. They were wet with blood and Jack collapsed once again, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Jen stared at the wings, they oozed with blood and spread out big enough to easily lift Jack from the ground; if he knew how to use them. His eyes were closed, his breathing had slowed and he was not moving.


	32. I'm Free

"I think he's passed out," Sierra spoke softly, breaking the sudden silence.  
  
  
"We should get him inside before someone sees him like this," Jen suggested.  
  
  
"Probably should clean those wings first," Sierra noted.  
  
  
"But how?" asked Jen, "they're _huge!_ "  
  
  
"I think his mother would probably lick them clean," Sierra shrugged, "you know, like when puppies are born? Wow, his species must get enormously _big_... "  
  
  
Jen slowly knelt down beside Jack, stroking his hair gently.  
  
  
His eyes flickered open and he sat up, blinking in a disorientated manner. He shakily got to his feet, lifting his wings to see them better. They began to dry and harden in the outside air and sun, he shook them a little and they were soon clean. He smiled at Jen and Sierra, an expression of realization on his face.  
  
  
"I can go _home_ now," he told them excitedly, "I... I'm _free_... "

  
  
  
He looked up into the sky, smiling more broadly.  
  
  
"I can hear her!" he almost shouted ecstatically, "she's waiting for me!"  
  
  
Jen knew he was talking about his mother, the one who he'd been stolen from - not Amelia.  
  
  
Jack took some steps forwards and beat his wings, lifting himself up into the air.


	33. Saying Goodbye

"Jack!" Jen called to him, a sadness filling her chest, "Jack, don't go!"  
  
  
He spun around to look down at them, his wings beating slower so that he hovered just there.  
  
  
"I have to," he called down to Jen, "she's calling for me!"  
  
  
He then landed and Jen ran over to him, hugging him tightly.  
  
  
Sierra ran over and tried not to cry, she would miss him, too.  
  
  
"What if she doesn't like me?" Jack suddenly frowned.  
  
  
"How can she not like you?" asked Jen, "you're a good boy... "  
  
  
"But to her I will be a freak," Jack replied sadly.  
  
  
Sierra touched his arm comfortingly.  
  
  
"Jack," Jen reassured him, "you're her baby... She will love you, no matter what. That's what mothers are for... "  
  
  
Jack looked up at the sky.  
  
  
"She found me after all this time," he said wistfully, "I have to go to her... She's calling.... "  
  
  
He pushed off from the ground again and they watched him get higher and higher, then he hesitated and looked down at them again with a smile.  
  
  
"I'll come back!" he called to them, "wait for me!"  
  
  
Jen nodded and they waved to him.  
  
  
Jack felt something hot and wet run down his cheek, he wiped it away and looked a little confused. He'd cried for Amelia, but never for anyone else in all the years since he was dragged away from her. It made Jen burst into tears all the harder, when he finally was out of sight. Sierra hugged her tightly, also in tears.  
  
  
"He'll be back," Sierra reminded Jen, "he's never let us down before, you'll see... _He'll come back_... "  
  
  
Jen sniffled and nodded, gazing up tearfully at the sky. It looked as empty as her heart now felt.  
  
  
"Jack," she whispered, perhaps he could still hear her?  
  
  
  
"Jack... _Stay_... "

 

 

= THE END =


End file.
